Sheet-metal shears



N0. 62!,743. Patented Mar. 2|, I899.

C. A. BUTTURFF.

SHEET METAL SHEABS.

(Appligation filed Dec. 23, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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SHEET-METAL SHEARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 621,743, dated March 21, 1899.

Application filed December 23, 1898. Serial No. 700,130. (No model.)

T all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. BOTTORFF, a resident of Elwood, in the county of Madison and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shears; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the'invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in sheet-metal shears, and more particularly to a feeding attachment therefor, the object of my invention being to provide a device of the above character which will automatically feed a sheet-of metal at the proper time after a predetermined number of cuts have been made by the cutter.

A further object is to construct a shearing apparatus which will be simple in construc tion, comparatively cheap to manufacture, and most effectual when in operation.

With these objects in View the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a- View in elevation illustrating my improvements. Fig. 2 is a view of one side of my device, and Fig. 3 is a view in section.

1 represents a frame comprising the uprights 2 and the table or support 3. A, suitable cutter or shears 3 is disposed in vertical guides 4 and is connected by links 5 to a crank-shaft 6, disposed at or near the top of the frame. A sprocket-wheel 7 is secured on one end of said shaft 6, and a sprocket-chain 8 connects said sprocket-wheel with a larger sprocket-wheel 9 on the end of a crank-shaft 10, disposed near the base of the machine. The shaft 10 has connected therewith any approved foot mechanism 10". -A coil or other spring 10 is secured at one end to said footoperating mechanism or treadle .and secured at its other end to the frame 1, whereby to normally hold the treadle in its upper or raised position and hold the cutter3 in its normal or raised position.

A sprocket-wheel 11 is secured to the crankmounted in the frame.

shaft 6, (at the end thereof opposite the sprocket-wheel 7,) and a sprocket-chain 12 communicates motion from the sprocketwheel 11 to a large idle sprocket-wheel 13, mounted on a stud projecting from the frame. A toothed segment or mutilated gear 14 is secured to one face of the sprocket-wheel13 and is adapted to mesh with a suitable pinion on the end of a crank-shaft 16, revolubly A pitman 17 connects said crank-shaft16 with one end of a shifting table 18. The table 18is movably mounted on suitable brackets or supports 19, secured to the frame, and is composed, preferably, of a frame a, longitudinal strips l), and cross-bars c, as shown, whereby to make the table light and at the same time strong and durable.

The operation of my improved machine is as follows: A strip or sheet of metal is passed onto the shifting table 18 under the knife or cutter 3. The shearman or operator then presses his foot on the treadle 10 and forces the cutter through the metal and then'permits the knife or cutter to resume its normal or raised position. During this operation the crank-shaft 6 and sprocket-wheel 1 1 thereon will have made one complete revolution. The sprocket-chain 12 will communicate motion to the large idle sprocket-wheel 13 and turn same one-fourth revolution. The shearman then has three edges of the piece which he has cut from the strip to trim, and it will be seen that on the fourth cut of the knife or cutter, or, in other words, when he has trimmed the last rough edge of the severed sheet, the toothed segment 14: on the sprocketwheel 13 will mesh with the pinion 15 on the crank-shaft 16 and turn same, which will communicate motion through the crank-arm or pitman 17 to the table 18 and thrust same forward with a sudden movement, which'will throw or feed the metal strip forward to the shearman, and hence dispense with the services of a helper, as is necessary with the maand hence I would have it understood that I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a shearing-machine, the combination with a frame, a cutter and a feeding device, of operating mechanism connected with said cutter and feed mechanism whereby to cause the feed mechanism to operate automatically after several operations of the cutter.

2. In a shearing-machine, the combination with a cutter and a feed mechanism, of operating means connected with the cutter, and gearing connected with said operating means and the feed mechanism, said gearing constructed and adapted to actuate the feed mechanism when the cutter shall have made several cuts.

3. The combination with a cutter and frame therefor, of a shifting table for feeding material to the cutter and automatically-operating means whereby to actuate said shifting.

table to feed material only after a series of operations of the cutter.

4. The combination with a cutter and a frame therefor, of a table adapted to feed a strip to be cut, and means connected with said cutter whereby to operate said table at every fourth stroke of said cutter and to prevent the operation of the table at other times.

5. The combination with a frame, a cutter mounted therein, arms connected to said outter, a crank-shaft to which said arms are connected and means for turning said crankshaft, of a sprocket-wheel secured on said crank-shaft, an idle sprocket-wheel revolubly mounted in said frame and having a toothed segment thereon and a sprocket-chain connecting said sprocket-Wheels, a crank-shaft, a pinion on said crank-shaft to mesh with said toothed segmen t, a shifting table,a crankarm or pitman secured to said last-mentioned crank-shaft and connected at its other end to the shifting table whereby when said cutter makes its fourth stroke the table will operate to feed.

6. The combination With a frame, a cutter movably supported thereby and means for operating said cutter, of a movable table supported on brackets secured to said frame and means connecting said table and the cutter whereby to feed at every fourth cut of the cutter.

' In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CHAS. A. BOTTORFF. WVitnesses:

JAMEs E. TAGGART, GEORGE W. SWARTZ. 

